Musings

Intelligence is learning from your own mistakes, wisdom is learning from the other guy’s mistakes. — Anonymous (not the NYT version)

It is not often I find the opportunity to impart wisdom to my faithful readers, but this is one. There will be no pictures accompanying this cautionary tale. That which is seen cannot be unseen, and you will thank me for that.

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Should you ever find yourself hurriedly meeting a deadline and needing to install a new drawer pull or some thing similar, a procedure that requires drilling a small hole through the edge of the metal hardware, take note. If the drill bit does not seem to be doing its job efficiently, stop for a minute to consider that there might be a problem with some component of the process. Simply bearing down even harder on the drill to force the situation may bring about a result not to your liking.

If you do try to force the drill bit through the material, and the drill bit is both dull and small, it will likely snap at some point in the effort. And, if your thumb holding the workpiece is directly underneath the drill chuck, the full weight of your body may impel the still-turning jagged broken drill bit to encounter your thumbnail with great speed, emphasis and vigor. In an instant you will find yourself asking, “Where the heck did all this blood come from?” or some analog to the sentiment. Verbal selection and emphasis may vary. And, no sooner does that question cross your mind than a wave of comparatively unpleasant sensation will travel from your thumb up through your hand, arm and eventually to the brain pan, and the discomfort will become fairly universal. Or so I have heard.

Just a note to the wise.

[Aftermath – thanks to immediate recognition of the situation and a rapid decontamination of the area, followed by a generous application of antibiotic ointment and sealing the region with a sterile dressing, the wound is healing nicely. The discomfort has subsided almost completely after a week, but the mutilated nail will need to remain bandaged to avoid snagging on everything until it grows out in another month or two. The only concern is for the re-growth of the nail since the damage was precisely on top of the cuticle/nail bed. Only time will tell at this point.]

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10 Comments on An Opportunity For Wisdom

Lousy quote from Paul Sellers: “use your third hand (the vise) for safety”.
The quick release is a safety feature because it helps to avoid the temptation not to use the vise for small tasks.
Now I have have difficulty to see what really the task was and what kind of work holding could have been used.
I hope you won’t have a permanent inconvenient default in your nail.
Sylvain

But, isn’t wisdom present before the most recent training experience? How many times do you burn a hand on the frying pan that’s doing double duty in the oven before instinct trumps intelligence trumps wisdom?

That was painful to read. I hope it heals well. And so you know, I will learn from this as I have to drill three holes on a domed metal surface. I think I’ll go buy a brand spanking new (and sharp) bit.

Without being doctor, I am almost certain that a healthy dose of home made apple pie will help immensely on the healing process.
(Feel free to show this comment to your wife, so she will know that you are not the one who came up with the idea.)

I have gained the intelligence to keep my hands behind the working ends of tools. Mine came with a 1/8″ chisel that tasted nail and bone on my forefinger. I had never imagined the pain caused by the truly bad jokes and derision from my friends and family. Merciless!

Don,
I have so many responses:
– Fingertips are one of the most nerve-ending rich places on our bodies, ouch!
– I am so glad your thumb is feeling better.
– It sounds like you have things well in hand, but if I can be of any assistance, please let me know.
– My friend, would you please be a little more careful!